Preshow
Brie Bella vs. Alicia Fox vs. Becky Lynch vs. Natalya vs. Naomi vs. Tamina vs. Paige vs. Summer Rae
Elimination Match (No. 1 Contendership for the Divas Championship)
The Setup: There is a way to get everyone on the show (I totally understand why you’d want to do this, the talent deserves it) and still have meaningful matchups. Getting these girls on the show is important, but so is naming a new No.1 contender for the Divas Championship. This 8 Diva elimination match ends with Paige defeating Becky Lynch in the final pinfall to become the NEW No. 1 Contender for the Diva’s Championship.
Winner: Paige
The Usos (c) vs. The New Day vs. The Dudley Boyz vs.
The Wyatt Family (Harper and Rowan)
Tag Team Championship Match
The Setup: I can’t lie, demoting the Tag Team Championship match to the pre-show was a tough and painful call to make. Due to time constraints, the Tag Team Championship, or the Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal, had to be moved to the pre-show. With the tag division lacking excitement right now, I decided that this would be the match that got cut. I have the Usos retaining here in a match that looks eerily similar to last year’s pre-show Tag Team Championship bout.
Winner: The Usos
Main Card
Kalisto (c) vs. Dolph Ziggler vs. Neville vs. Tyler Breeze vs. Ryback vs. Rusev vs. Alberto Del Rio vs. Sheamus
United States Championship 8 Man Ladder Match
The Setup: It’s starting to become painfully obvious that I structured this show in a similar way to last year’s WrestleMania 31. That show was paced well, the matches had enough time (but not too much time), and everything flowed beautifully as a result. This match is starting off the show, similar to the IC Championship ladder match from last year, setting the pace for the evening. Kalisto retains in a 15 minute spot-fest to kick things off.
Winner: Kalisto
Dean Ambrose (c) vs. Chris Jericho vs. AJ Styles
Intercontinental Championship Match
The Setup: Ambrose/Jericho is rumored to be the plan, and I love that, but you’re wasting a talent like AJ Styles if you do not have him in a championship match at WrestleMania. There are a ton of ways you can go about this, and I don’t think the fans really care how you do it, they just want to see three ultra talented guys go at it. Styles pins Jericho to win his first championship in the WWE at his first WrestleMania.
Winner: AJ Styles
Brock Lesnar (w/ Paul Heyman) vs. Bray Wyatt (w/ The Wyatt Family)
The Setup: This seems to be the route the WWE is going to take and I absolutely love it. Bray Wyatt has been a favorite of mine for quite some time, and Brock Lesnar is Brock Lesnar, so hopes are high for this one. Heyman vs. Wyatt on the microphone can really turn this into something special if they are given enough time to build the storyline. The route I would take is a simple one; Brock Lesnar cannot be defeated and Bray Wyatt cannot win the big one. Lesnar will clearly be outnumbered, but have him overcome it every single time the Wyatts try to use it to their advantage. Have Heyman win verbal bouts with Wyatt time and time again. All of this causes Bray to snap (even more so than he already has), giving him the extra fuel needed to burn Brock Lesnar and his reign to the ground.
Winner: Bray Wyatt
Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal
The Setup: This is a nice change of pace that gives the fans something different to digest. I love the idea of an annual battle royal at WrestleMania and I would eventually add that the winner gets a WWE Championship match on Raw the next night. However, I’d save that stipulation for next year’s ATGMBR and have Mark Henry win what will probably be his final match of his career. Henry got into the WWE because of Andre the Giant, and he is from Texas, so closing out his career by winning a match named after his hero in his home state seems like an incredible WrestleMania moment for the future Hall of Famer.
Winner: Mark Henry
The Undertaker vs. Kevin Owens
The Last Ride
The Setup: With John Cena unavailable, The Undertaker is left without someone to work (and most likely finish off his career) with at WrestleMania 32. Insert Kevin Owens, who is looking for a big pay day by facing The Deadman at WrestleMania in what could be his final match, and you’ve got a pretty big WrestleMania debut for a superstar you need to start building around. I’d have Owens go as far as to mention that John Cena isn’t going to be the one to retire The Undertaker, he is. Owens can carry this one on the mic and in the ring with ‘Taker coming in and getting the victory on the grandest stage of them all.
Winner: The Undertaker
Charlotte (c) vs. Sasha Banks
Diva’s Championship Match
The Setup: A singles match for the Divas Championship is exactly what the division needs and these two women are the best competitors for the job. Everything about this, from the two Divas in the match, to their history in NXT, makes this feel like a WrestleMania worthy moment. Sasha Banks submits Charlotte in the middle of the ring to become the new WWE Divas Champion.
Winner: Sasha Banks
Triple H (c) (w/ Stephanie and Vince McMahon) vs. Roman Reigns (w/ The Rock) (w/ Stone Cold Steve Austin as Special Guest Referee)
WWE Championship Match
The Setup: Like it or not, this is the biggest match the WWE can do that is realistic and worthy of the WrestleMania main event slot. There is nothing wrong with going the predictable route if it makes sense. I’d add in a stipulation where, if Triple H loses, The Authority is out of power, but I wouldn’t really change what direction the WWE is most likely going to go in. The finish is where things get interesting… Vince McMahon turns on Triple H (maybe he teases hitting Reigns with a chair but hits HHH instead) and Reigns gets the victory via assistance from Vince McMahon. Is Reigns aligned with Vince McMahon? Why did McMahon turn on The Authority? Ending WrestleMania with a cliffhanger that will be resolved in less than 24 hours is a solid way to close the night.
Winner: Roman Reigns
Overall Thoughts:
Let’s be honest, injuries (along with a Baywatch film) prevented this show from being the biggest WrestleMania of all time. The WWE can still pull off an incredible show due to the fact that they have some fantastic in-ring talent and just enough star power to make things interesting for the casual fan. Assuming people can get healthy and stay healthy, WrestleMania 33 may end up having the card that WrestleMania 32 was going to break records with.
